Becoming Mute
by GoddessOfBassoons
Summary: So, how'd Rico become mute, or close to it anyway? Suggestions and reviews appretiated. NOW EDITIED...sorta.
1. Becoming Mute

**This is my second Penguins of Madagascar fanicfic. It's about how Rico became mute (Or close to it). It takes place in Antarctica, before all the movies, and the T.V. show. **

**UPDATE- Oh my gosh. It's been about a year after I published this. So many errors! It bugged me TO DEATH, so I decided to fix it. Urg… I can't believe I was that bad. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Penguins of Madagascar, or the characters of POM.**

**I ****do**** own my own character, Taris. **

"Hey! Wait up!" Yelled a young female penguin, chasing after a smaller male penguin, who was already halfway up a iced slope.

The male turned around a smiled darkly, "Why?"

"Where are you going?" The female asked out of breath, who had just then caught up with the smaller one.

"Since when did you care so much about me, Taris?" He continued to waddle up the slope.

"Rico! Please, what are you doing?" The female, Taris, stubbornly followed.

"To play with the seals." Came the response.

"Wha-" Taris knew her younger brother wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn't stupid. What in the world could have possessed him to play with their arch enemy: _seals._

"No one seems to care about me anyway. I figure this would attract attention."

Taris just shook her head, "Get back here!"

"Nope." Rico replied, popping the 'p.'

"That's dangerous!" Taris screamed at her brother, who reached the top of the slope. She followed helplessly, "Please…"

"Woah." The younger penguins' voice was full with awe, at the slick ice floating on top of the water. Both penguins saw the dark shapes moving underneath. Waiting. Just waiting for a stupid penguin to fall off the cliff.

"I'm going down."

Taris opened her mouth to say 'okay', to dismiss Rico like she normally would. But that was before she realized what he was doing, and instead came out, "No!"

Taris now saw what he meant when he said no one cared. No one listened to what he had to say. No one cared what he did. The poor kid just wanted attention. And even if it was the entire colony, standing at the top of this cliff in mournful silence, because of death… it would work for him. "Please stop! We'll- we'll go do something together, or something. Please just stop!"

Rico was already at the bottom. "Sorry." He whispered, so no one heard. He realized what he was doing was really stupid. Suicidal. But he was here. And he wasn't going to stop now.

He could hear his sister calling out for him to stop. But he wouldn't. Not ever.

_..._

The dark shapes were moving under him now. And for the first time he really saw what he was doing.

Or maybe he would just this once stop being so stubborn, and stop.

He screamed in terror and tried to scramble up back the cliff. He turned around to here a big _crack _and to see a looming seal in front of him. He screamed again.

"_Rico!" _Taris screamed herself and jumped down the cliff, landing a couple of feet away from the seal. The seal turned around hearing the noise, confused momentarily. Rico took this time to run.

The seal turned around again, and hit Rico with its tail, knocking him far out onto the ice. The wind was knocked out of him, making it difficult to breathe.

The seal lumbered out to the dazed penguin. Rico rolled over, eyes wide at the now seemingly humongous seal. The seal opened its mouth and let out a deafening screech. Then pulled his head down towards Rico, who tried to move away.

The seals teeth grazed over Ricos beak, leaving a thin red mark. The penguin gasped in pain, trying to shake it off.

The seal tried again to grab Rico, successful this time. He gripped his upper torso, shaking violently. Suddenly the huge animal let the fainted penguin go, and angrily turned around, face to face with Taris. Taris had been violently slapping the monsters tail, which really didn't do anything other than aggravate it.

As the seal chased now Taris, Rico dragged himself a couple feet before being picked up again. This time, by gentler means.

"It's okay little guy," Cooed a soft voice, "You'll be fine soon."

Rico tried to call out to his sister, but a sharp pain in his voice box and chest made him stop.

He started to fade into unconsciousness. He realized a couple of things before he slipped into sleep.

_My sister isn't going to survive. Because of me, and my stupid actions._

_I'm not going to be able to talk as easily now. Because of me, and my stupid actions._

_And I'm caught. By humans. Because of me, and my stupid actions. _

Rico let out one last whimper, and decided that wherever his new life took him, he wasn't ever going to forget this.

Ever.

And he wasn't going back on his word this time.

**Yeah, its kinda sad. :( But this is how I imagined why Rico didn't talk that much. **

**Yes, Taris didn't survive. (In case any of you were wondering). **

**I'd appreciate if you would review, and give me suggestions for my writing. And other story ideas. **

**UPDATE- So… if there IS any other one-shot story idea's people would like me to do, feel free to review/PM me about them. I'm not really the kind of person to write out huge stories though. I do better doing one shots or equal or less than three chapters. It's easier on me, plus I'll be more likely to finish. ;)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~Xiaolinwind (AKA- N/R icoRoxs)**


	2. Traveling Mute

**Schools finally out! I'm pretty sure I'll be able to update way faster now.**

**Thanks to Gatorgirl1245, for the suggestion, which I am taking, for this story. This story is now going to have 3 chapters, including this one, and the first one.**

**Also, thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I loved them!**

**Anyways, onward with the story.**

**UPDATE- This chapter wasn't that bad on the errors. But I fixed them anyways. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Penguins of Madagascar, or the POM characters. **

**I do own my own characters though. The three humans in this story. The little girl has a name, Mari; the other two do not.**

Oh my GOSH! Poor little thing!" Exclaimed a small girl's voice, after seeing the injured penguin lying on a exam table. "WHAT happened?"

An older man with a long white coat came up behind the devastated girl, "Yes, what did happen?"

"Seal." A gruff voice answered. "Got to 'im. I saved the little fella."

"Was there any other penguins in the attack?" The first man asked while examining the hurt penguin.

"Yeah. 'Nother one. Didn't survive."

"Aww!" The girl cried, while staring worriedly down at the penguin.

"Mari," The white coat man turned to the small girl, "Can you please take him to his room?"

"Yeah…"

Xxxxx

Rico was in a lot of pain. The girl had shoved something down his throat, and it relived the pain a little. But his face hurt, and his chest area hurt. And every time he opened his mouth to whimper, it would bring sharp pain with it.

"Poor thing." The girl, Mari, said. She left the room to go report to her teachers.

_If she made me eat that thing, and it helped the pain… if I eat something else will it help too? _

Slowly, but surly, the hurt penguin reached over and grabbed the first thing his flipper touched. And ate it.

Unfortunately, Mari saw him.

"HE ATE IT!" She screamed and again, ran out of the room. Her screams fading the farther away she went. "HE ATE IT! He Ate It! He ate it! He…"

This time, it didn't help the pain. But it didn't hurt him either. But he could feel his mind slipping … into … darkness …

xxxxx

When Rico woke he was somewhere else entirely. White room, white stuff in the room, white _everything_.

His beak didn't hurt at all. But his chest still did. A lot. He opened his beak and made a sound this time. But it hurt so much we closed his mouth and whimpered.

"You woke up." Said the man in the white coat from earlier. "We we're all starting to fear you wouldn't."

Rico just stared at him with empty eyes.

"Ah, you're depressed, maybe? I know. It's hard to be taken from your home. Especially right after an attack… but, you'll be in good hands."

_Where?_ Rico willed him to read his mind or something. He wanted to know more. It was strange, knowing that he could understand the language this creature was talking.

"Central Park Zoo." The man said, reading off a clipboard. Almost like he _could_ read his mind. "You'll be transferred with another one. Penguin, I mean. One of them is already there. So there'll be three of you at first. Another may be joining you."

"Why are you talking to a penguin?" The little girl walked into the room, "It's not like he can understand you."

"How do you know?" The man asked quietly, staring at Rico, who stared back, "I think he can. I think he has questions. Feelings. You never know. Maybe someday, he might become part of an elite force of penguins that go around a save someone."

The girl snorted, "Are you serious?"

Rico thought this whole thing was kind of funny. Because he could understand them. He did have questions. And feelings too. The last part was silly though. The man was just joking around.

The man didn't respond. Instead he got up, and gave some medicine to the penguin. "I'm sure you're tired, and we're keeping you up." He finished and turned around, "Let's go Mari."

_But… _Rico started to think. But he never finished the thought.

Because it was dark again.

**I didn't like this chapter that much. It was really short.**

**I'd really like reviews though. I'll continue the story. One more chapter after this. **

**Thanks for reading! (And hopefully reviewing)**

**Xiaolinwind (AKA- N/R icoRoxs)**


	3. Living Mute

**Wow! Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate them! **

**Sorry for such a late update. I had this typed up, but the computer didn't let me save it. :( I was too lazy and angry to type it up again. Sorry to all still reading. **

**As to Lukos, if you ever read this, the story dedicated to you is called "Dark Blue". Thanks for that suggestion!**

**And this is the last chapter of this very short story. Enjoy!**

**UPDATE- Three errors in the A/N. Greeeaaat. I'm surprised so many people liked this story… it definitely wasn't my best. XD Like I said, if anyone wants to give me one-shot ideas, I'd love them. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Penguins of Madagascar, or the POM characters. **

**I do own my own characters though. The humans. (Bu buh buuuh!)**

Rico drifted in and out of the darkness over the next couple of days. He also heard bits of information when he was conscious.

_"...soon..."_

_"...others?...two..." _

_"...York City..." _

_"...plane...long"_

Rico decided this much. He was leaving soon. He'd be going to the place called "York City" and there was going to be two 'others'.

And that he was very very scared.

Rico turned his head towards the sound of approaching footsteps. The door opened to the white room, and the man in the coat came in.

"Hello, little penguin. Your leaving today." He looked almost sad, "I hope you have a great time in the zoo. I wish you luck..." The man pulled out a needle, and as soon as Rico saw it he tried to squirm away.

The man laughed, "Trust me. You're going to be glad you got this."

Soon after the needle had been plunged into his side, Rico began to feel woozy. And was soon out of it. Again.

xxxxx

When Rico awoke next, he was feeling more refreshed than he had in... ever. He was also in a dark, moving, box. He made a startled noise and backed up into a wall.

"Ah. Be quite you bird."

Rico looked up, where the words had come from, but found it to be closed off there as well.

Rico felt the box stop moving, then start moving again. Except he had the sensation of being in the air.

A bright light blinded him, as he was dumped onto the ground. Rico slowly got up, and let his eyes adjust. He was standing in the middle of a platform, with water surrounding it. Two other penguins were sitting on it, busy with work. Now they were looking up at him with startled expressions.

The shorter one shook it off first. "Hello, newcomer. I'm Skipper, and this is my Lieutenant Kowalski. What's your name?" His voice seemed friendly enough, but under it Rico could sense the suspicion.

As Rico tried his hardest to say his name, the taller one, Kowalski, walked over, standing next to Skipper.

"Come on man! Spit it out!" Skipper demanded.

Rico's shoulders slumped, and he shook head. It just hurt too much.

"Why not! Just-!" Skipper started, starting to take a fighting stance.

"I don't think he can." Kowalski interrupted.

"Wha?" Skipper looked confused, looking at Kowalski. "OR, he could be trying to infiltrate the base. We-"

"Skipper, think about this."

"Can you try and say the first part? Then we can try and guess the rest." Kowalski said to Rico, interrupting Skipper a second time.

"Rrrrrr." Rico growled.

"See? Now you made him angry!" Skipper said, backing up.

"No." Kowalski sighed. "Keep going." He urged Rico.

"Eeee." The sound Rico made almost came out as a squeal.

"Reeee... Riii. Ri?" Kowalski asked.

Rico nodded, and then waited.

"Oh. There's more..." Kowalski looked at a clipboard. "Se? Rise?"

Rico shook his head frantically.

"Riii…. Co?"

This time Rico nodded, a bit relieved.

"Nice to meet you...Rico." Skipper said cautiously, inching back towards the two penguins.

Kowalski turned back to Rico, as both of them began explaining their lifestyle...

**Tah dah! :D What a sorry excuse for a story, but oh well. I finished! **

**Hopefully, I'll update my other two stories. Haha. **

**Review, please and thanks in advance. And thanks for reading. **

**UPDATE- That was absolutely horrible. Oh well, I'll keep up the story anyway. Skipper was totally OOC, so I tried and fixed it… hopefully I did a better job. And that was possibly the worst ending ever. *sighs* What can you do? Anyways- STORY IDEAS! Please please please. **

***Another story finished!***

**~Xiaolinwind (AKA- N/R icoRoxs) **


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